1. 2018/21 NLTP - Improvements
Extremely brief opening on what TIO is and does
Looking to improve customer satisfaction by 10%

2. Overview of Improvements
A Improvement activity is a stand alone activity that leads to an improvement:
The activity addresses a gap in Customer Levels of Service (CLoS)
The activity improves efficiency of the land transport system in delivering existing CLoS
Activities include but are not limited to State Highway improvements, Local road improvements, Regional improvements, Resilience improvements (used to be preventive maintenance), Walking and cycling improvements, Public transport improvements
An improvement either fills a gap in the CLoS or improves how we currently deliver services

3. Moderation process
The moderation process aims to provide a consistent national view across all proposals within activity classes and ensuring that investment levels are consistent with the GPS priorities. The moderation process aims to:
Provide you with a better understanding of why and how we make investment decisions
Ensure the clarity and transparency principles are embedded in the way we work*
Deliver a prioritised programme of work relating to improvement activities through the NLTP
Assessment under the IAF prioritises all proposals for input into the moderation process
*This includes how the Assessment of the Business Case provides a consistent assessment approach to all investment proposals

4. Conditions for funding improvements
All the following conditions must be met when an improvement proposal is submitted for funding approval during the NLTP period:
An activity will be considered for funding if it is already included in the NLTP
As long as there is funding available in the appropriate activity class
At the time the funding request is made the improvement is supported by a robust business case*
The investment partner demonstrates their readiness and ability to deliver the improvement
*The business case must clearly demonstrates the value of investing in a CLoS change

5. Results Alignment
For the NLTP, the results alignment rating will be used by the Transport Agency to assess the significance of a problem, issue or opportunity relative to desired results set out in the GPS
The rating assessment is not an indication of how well a programme or activity is being optimised and delivered by an organisation
By default, the results alignment rating for Improvement Activities is low
A medium result alignment rating indicates that a network or issue being managed will largely meet the appropriate customer levels of service
The default results alignment rating is LOW
In the majority of cases the results alignment will generally be based on gaps in customer levels of service
In a nutshell:
Medium rating addresses an identified gap
High rating addresses a significant gap
Very High rating addresses, or is in response to a specific Government priority

6. Customer Levels of Service
The Transport Agency recognises that customer levels of service measures are not fully developed for all activities
In the case of road improvements, the One Network Road Classification (ONRC) has been adopted by the sector to ensure national consistency in the levels of service delivered by a network across the classification hierarchy
For safety levels of service the Transport Agency adopts a thresholds for medium and high safety risk derived from Safer Journeys areas of concern
For public transport and walking and cycling no nationally consistent level of service or classification exists
Currently, in these activity classes, the Transport Agency uses proxies to determine the significance of the problem, issue or opportunity.
A New Zealand level of service for cycling is in development and will be available in 2018.
For journeys that are best served by cycling the Transport Agency uses NZ Transport Agency Cycling network guidance for the application of Austroads Levels of Service
For journeys that are best served by public transport, the Transport Agency uses the investment partner’s business case or supporting evidence to guide options and services

7. Cost & Benefit Appraisal
Improvement Activities are given a rating in bands for cost benefit appraisal based on their benefit-cost ratios*
BCRs incorporate whole-of-life costs and benefits
BCRs are in the following bands:
below 1
between 1 and 2.9
between 3 and 4.9
between 5 and 9.9
10 or above
Project level funding approvals will be made on the basis of the calculated BCR rather than the bands
At the programme business case phase, bands provide sufficient basis for prioritisation given the uncertainty around the high level costs and benefits
* This is for the majority of cases, however we appreciate that at times there are exceptions to the rule

8. TIO changes at a glance?
We use TIO to capture and manage investment proposals and the templates have been designed to incorporate investment partner feedback to achieve the following;
Assessment of Business Case (ABC) module added
Redundant fields removed
Better inheritance
Support for benefit reporting and management
Greater transparency
Explicit recording of decision documents (by NZTA)
“Snapshots” part of transparency measures
Greater level of in-built guidance
Inheritance refers to the NZTA Investment Assessment Checklist (16 questions). Assessment builds on the answers at previous stage(s).
Pete and Mike to discuss current changes in TIO and how they impact Improvements and the users experience

9. TIO – Business Case Approach (BCA)
TIO reflects the 16 questions used in the assessment of robustness of application of the BCA
The 16 questions address:
Strategic case stage (8)
Programme business case (4)
Implementation approval (4)
The business case is assessed as pass/rework/fail at a question and proposal level
The outcome of the assessment of individual questions will inform and influence the overall pass, rework or fail of the investment proposal
There is no specific number of passes required at the individual question level to determine the overall outcome of the Assessment of the Business Case.

10. TIO - Inheritance
Inheritance in respect to TIO is when specific information will prepopulate certain fields based on an the initial input of information - the details will feed through to subsequent phases of the proposal development in TIO*
When a strategic case is reviewed the changes must be entered through strategic case screen
BCR is not inherited from Programme Business Case stage so this information will be re-calculated at each proposal phase**
*Areas where information will prepopulate from include but are not limited to:
Strategic Case
Answers provided to the 8 questions at first stage
** Refined cost and benefit information, and justification based on an acceptable BCR to proceed to the next stage

11. TIO - Strategic case module
In most cases this will be the first time information is entered into TIO for the improvement proposal
The Transport Agency assess the merits of the strategic case based on the information provide by the investment partner*
The information entered at this point will feeds through to subsequent stages**
This information input is mandatory requirement for all activities
The strategic case can be used as a reference point for one or more activities – this is very useful to see the relationship across activities
*These assessments information is entered by NZTA investment advisors
** Refer to inheritance – these include assessment stages, GPS alignment, benefits and outcomes sought

12. TIO - Benefits capture
Within TIO there is a Cost Benefit Appraisal screen where benefit and cost information is captured *
Data is prepopulated in TIO if the input templates are used** - simplified procedures
All data is consolidated in the summary EEM worksheet**
The information that is captured at this time will be used in benefit and outcomes reporting - All of which aims to increases transparency of decision-making
* Please refer to TIO demonstration
** Please refer to the example upload template

13. TIO - Resilience Improvements
These types of improvements have been reassigned from maintenance programmes
The strategic case in most case will still be an Activity Management Plan
The assessment requirements for improvements will apply and use the same TIO improvements template
Its important to note that Resilience Improvements started in the NLTP all Resilience activities will fall under Improvements for the NLTP

14. TIO - Very high rating
The rating will appear in TIO based on the following *
An improvement activity can achieve a very high results alignment rating it addresses one of the key GPS results areas**
Improvement activities have a very high cost benefit appraisal rating if the BCR is 10+
A proposal may still be considered eligible if either results alignment or BCR are below the minimum threshold
* Refer to TIO demonstration
** transport access is required for housing development/ it would assist in preparing the network for safer in- vehicle and/or driverless technology/ it would enable data and information that improves transport management and user choice
Further detail on results alignment criteria please refer to the draft GPS and draft IAF documents
Note – the default BCR for stock effluent disposal sites will need to change currently these are 12+
Note - A new rating for infrastructure reaching end-of-life – this was previously BCR=99, now PV-WoL

15. TIO – Information snapshots
TIO will make a recording of submitted information at each approval phase
This information will show a comparative view through life of the improvement activity
By baselining the improvement activity, users will be able to view cost, scope and time adjustments
The ability to view the snapshot functionality is accessible through the activity record*
* Please refer to TIO demonstration

16. Supporting Information
For further information please refer to the following sources of information:
Investment Decision Making Website investment/planning/ national-land-transport- programme/investment-decision-making
PIKB -
Or contact your Local Regional Investment Advisor
* Please refer to TIO demonstration